A NOVEL RECTANGULAR AIRLIFT REACTOR WITH MESH BAFFLE-PLATES

An experimental rectangular airlift reactor having mesh baffle-plates has been fabricated out of Perspex and compared with conventional airl ift and bubble column in terms of gas holdup, volumetric mass transfer coefficient and mixing time. Mesh baffle-plates improved mass transfe r and mixing with the mass transfer coefficient of the proposed reacto r being up to 12% higher than that in a conventional airlift reactor u nder the same operating condition. The mixing time of the proposed rea ctor can be 95% lower than that of the airlift reactor.